*By Hope King*
Roku is out with new hardware to help grow its...software business.
The streaming TV company launched two new wireless speakers Monday designed to work with pretty much only Roku TVs.
Roku says the speakers will only work with TVs made by its manufacturing partners ー such as TCL, Sharp, and Hisense ー and not with TVs plugged into a Roku box. But in reality, the company's VP of Product Management Mark Ely said they could be used with Bluetooth connected devices, such as a phone or tablet.
“They also include a Bluetooth radio…so you can stream and playback through the speaker,” he told me.
Pre-orders for the new Roku TV speakers began Monday with a promotional price of $150. The price will increase starting next week to $180. Shipping will begin in October when prices go up to $200. The wireless speakers also come with a TV remote and a touch remote, both with voice control only for Roku TV.
The announcement comes a few months after Roku saw its platform business surpass its device business, in term of percent of revenue, for the first time during the first quarter of this year.
The distinction of the speakers' compatibility may seem like a fine point, but for a company competing with evermore wireless speaker brands such as Sonos, and smart speakers from Amazon, Google, and Apple, it’s one that should be made. After all, how many connected speakers do people need in their homes, especially if they can’t all work together? To that end, Roku’s software inside the speakers could enable wider usage in the future.
“We’re always upgrading those systems,” said Ely. “Even the very first Roku TVs we shipped back in 2014 have the latest software.”
To be clear, Roku is not trying to compete directly with the growing smart speaker market here. The company instead is trying to make it easier for existing Roku customers to listen to music, shows, and movies through something other than their TV speakers.
“Our goal is to make Roku TVs the best TVs,” Ely said. “Sound is a critical part of that.” He went on to say that “great sound \[means\] a more immersive experience, and that drives our business overall.”
As of the end of the [first quarter,](https://ir.roku.com/static-files/8b04826b-95a6-49c4-82a6-c3e6ffa30f25) Roku saw platform revenue of $75.1 million ー about 55 percent of its total revenue and more than double what it was the year before.
Ely said he expects the new speakers to add to that growth because the company is focused on “delivering a great streaming experience \[through\] really innovative hardware products.”
“The better streaming experiences we can deliver, the more that drives platform engagement, and that drives the growth of our business,” said Ely.
Shares of Roku closed down about 1 percent Monday. The stock is up about 82 percent since it began trading on the NASDAQ last September.
For the full segment, [click here.] (https://cheddar.com/videos/roku-introduces-wireless-speakers-to-hardware-line-up)
As 2021 is approaching its end, the meme stock mania that surrounded companies like Gamestop and AMC this year doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Stocks for both companies plunged to their lowest levels in months on Monday, but on Tuesday, traders seemed to come to the rescue, as the stocks for both companies saw rebounds. Great Hill Capital Chariman Thomas Hayes joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Upward Farms is an indoor vertical farming company on a mission to heal our broken food system and reconnect consumers with organic locally-grown food. The Brooklyn-based company uses its controlled environment farms to grow organic leafy greens, which are sold at whole foods markets in New York City. Upward Farms co-founder and CEO Jason Green joined Cheddar Climate to discuss.
One of the biggest hurdles when it comes to widespread electric vehicle adoption is consumer hesitation about their ability to keep their EV charged if they take a longer trip outside of their locality. Now, electric companies nationwide are teaming up as part of a coalition to build out a network of EV charging stations spanning major U.S. travel corridors. Kellen Schefter, director of electric transportation at the Edison Electric Institute, joins Cheddar Climate to discuss the coalition's plans, how drivers can compare fueling up with gas to recharging an EV on a long trip, how the charging network will be funded, and more.
The NBA's Golden State Warriors announced a partnership with crypto exchange FTX. It will become the official crypto trading platform for the franchise as well as home to a number of NFTs it plans to drop. Brandon Schneider, president and chief operating officer of the team, joined Cheddar's Kristen Scholer to provide some background on the deal and talked about how digital assets are transforming the world of sports. "We as a society, not just in sports, are kind of at the beginning of the beginning with crypto and NFTs specifically, so we're really excited to partner with FTX to see where we can take this together," he said.
As more states begin to legalize recreational marijuana, there's a growing interest in legalizing cannabis cultivation. As the rise in cannabis farms expands across the U.S., more research is being done to examine its impact on the planet. Michael Katz, executive director at Mendocino Cannabis Alliance, joins Cheddar News to talk about the carbon footprint of cannabis farms.
With the new year right around the corner, people are starting to set lofty goals for 2022. However, research shows that very few people actually attain their new year's goals, and with the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, it may be even tougher this year. Sandee Sgarlata, expert happiness coach and author of 'Happiness Solved,' joined Cheddar News to offer tips on how to actually help your 2022 resolutions stick.
